SUV Crashes Into School Bus in East Fort Worth – WTH?

An SUV collided with a Fort Worth ISD school bus Wednesday morning at the intersection of South Riverside Drive and East Maddox Avenue. Thank goodness that the driver of the bus and the student on it only suffered minor injuries. The driver had just made his first pickup of the morning or more children would have been on the bus.

According to police, the SUV ran a red light and hit the school bus. On impact the bus was knocked into a parking lot where it knocked over concrete pylons and hit a building.

The driver of the SUV was seriously injured. He had to be extricated from the vehicle by firefighters and was transported to the hospital by Medstar Ambulance.

Drivers: Be Careful Around School Buses
School is back in full swing after spring break in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Drivers are always rushing to get to work — and don’t even get me started about people who drive and text, or are so absorbed in their phone call they zone out. But our children are precious and there is no way you can’t see a red light — or a giant yellow school bus.Practice School Bus Safety
Texas DOT estimates that over one million children ride buses to and from school each day. Although they are usually safe, children are at risk of injury when drivers don’t pay attention to safety regulations.

Prevent injury to children getting on and off the school bus by taking these steps:

Stopping when the bus engages flashing red stop lights Complying with the speed limit Paying close attention when driving bus stops where children are gathered Watching for children who may not look before darting across the road to catch the bus Instructing your children to stand back while waiting for the bus and looking both ways

School Zones Are A Danger Spot

TxDOT reports that 625 auto accidents occurred in Texas school zones last year. Tragically, two resulted in fatalities and 112 in severe injuries.

Distracted driving, speeding and failing to stop at stop signs were the most common factors that contributed to school zone crashes.

TxDOT offers these tips for avoiding causing a crash in a school zone:

Never use a cellphone in a school zone.
Go the speed limit, especially near a school.
Comply with designated drop-off and pickup points prescribed by your child’s school.
Expect kids to dart across the street or between cars.

TThe High Cost of Disobeying School Day Traffic Rules
Not only is disobeying school day traffic laws dangerous, but it can also be expensive. Texas laws impose high fines and court costs for:

Using a phone in a school zone — up to $200 in fines Speeding through a school zone — increases traffic fines and court costs Passing a school bus with flashing red lights engaged — up to a $1000 fine
If you have been injured in a car, truck, 18 wheeler, or bus accident, call our Dallas-Fort Worth law firm at 817-885-8000 locally or 1-888-801-8585 toll-free to schedule a free consultation and to learn how we can help you.